Following the groundbreaking release of ChatGPT in November 2022, artificial intelligence (AI) has drawn immense attention on the global stage. With an unexpected surge in innovation and product launches, organizations worldwide are racing to develop and integrate AI into their businesses. However, amidst this intensity, many are concerned with the risks AI poses and are calling for the establishment of shared safety protocols to safeguard it while it’s still in its infancy. To provide valuable insights into this rapidly evolving landscape, three Vertical Motion team members come together to offer their perspectives on the ethical, regulatory, and business dimensions of AI. Their collective expertise, diverse backgrounds, and varying opinions aim to assist you in making informed decisions regarding the implementation of AI in your organization.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Discussion Panelists
Anthony Tibbs
Anthony Tibbs is a Back-end Developer at Vertical Motion with a background in database programming and expertise in PHP, Laravel, and Drupal. Anthony’s professional background includes nearly a decade and a half of practicing class action litigation and devoting himself to supporting individuals with disabilities by developing, automating, and testing assistive technologies.
Fin Dittimi
Fin Dittimi is a Project Manager and Business Analyst at Vertical Motion with over a decade-long career in the software development industry. Fin holds a master's degree in IT Management from the University of Wolverhampton and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Concordia University. Since then, Fin has been involved in successfully launching, managing, and scaling more than 30 digital solutions over the last ten years, generating upwards of 50 million dollars over the product lifespan.
Jaasiel Diaz
Jaasiel Diaz is a senior Full-stack Developer at Vertical Motion with high-level industry experience in .NET, MS SQL Server, Azure, Angular, JavaScript, NodeJS, DevOps, AWS, and more. His professional industry experience spans nearly two decades in full-stack software development and management, where he effectively planned and executed complex development projects.
1 | What factors have contributed to the rapid global release and adoption of artificial intelligence (AI)?
Anthony Tibbs — Artificial intelligence has been in research and development for several decades, largely in academia and behind the scenes of the world’s top organizations. In fact, a lot of technology has been using AI in decision-making models for some time now, but this hasn’t necessarily been available on a consumer level. The real turning point has been OpenAI’s release of ChatGPT, which has broken new ground as one of the first globally accessible AI to enter the market. Once this started, many other businesses, who months ago were still in R&D, have started releasing their own technology to remain relevant. That being said, Large Language Models (LLM) represent only one facet of AI.
Fin Dittimi — The rapid global release and adoption of artificial intelligence have been fueled by OpenAI’s successful democratization efforts, leveraging advancements in energy efficiency, data storage, and privacy protection. Since the launch of ChatGPT in November of 2022, we have seen the increasing benefits and impact of AI on lives, business, and industry which is propelling innovation and creativity forward as more and more seek to find new ways to utilize AI. Furthermore, I think the problems experienced in the metaverse and the crash of cryptocurrency have prompted many to search for the next disruptive technology, leading them to gravitate to AI. In summary, the major factors contributing to AI’s rapid adoption are good timing, flexibility of use, and accessibility.
Jaasiel Diaz — For a while, many of us have been using AI or at least experiencing its results without knowing it. Companies including Google, Apple, Amazon, and Twitter have used AI technology to optimize their businesses and create a better user experience (UX) for several years. However, this is the first time that AI technology has been freely placed in the hands of users around the globe, which has generated remarkable results. OpenAI’s ChatGPT, for example, has helped users greatly reduce online search times and access information more quickly. For developers, it has helped to automate tedious and repetitive tasks, such as code reviews, testing, and debugging. Although these efficiencies have been previously realized in industries such as agriculture and healthcare, users are now seeing the impact firsthand. This is what is driving the rapid global release and adoption of artificial intelligence.
2 | What role do ethics and regulations play in artificial intelligence (AI), and how important is early implementation?
Anthony Tibbs — I believe ethics and regulations are sorely needed to establish greater control of AI in preparation for the undoubted challenges we are going to face in the future. We are already witnessing problems with self-driving cars for example, regarding the at-fault party in vehicular accidents. Is the driver to blame? Is it the car itself? Or perhaps the manufacturer? As a result of challenges such as these, I think it is important to establish some form of governance to limit these types of problems and create a clear course of action for when they do occur.
Fin Dittimi — I see two ethical issues surrounding artificial intelligence that is prompting the need for regulation. The first in regards to users and the second regarding the system.
Firstly, users now have unprecedented access to AI’s power, which has raised concerns about potential misuse. For instance, some individuals have exploited AI systems through misleading prompts to achieve personal gains or engage in unethical activities. Implementing regulations can help prevent such misuse and protect users.
Secondly, AI’s ability to train itself and to learn on its own raises several red flags surrounding the potential for systems to learn to engage in unethical actions. Subsequently, I think we need to put in place regulations that safeguard AI from building its own persona to make unethical decisions.
Jaasiel Diaz — This is a great question! Many users, companies, and governments are concerned with the potential risks associated with AI and I believe recognize that this technology cannot remain unchecked. From my evaluation of the power of AI, I think establishing clearly defined ethics and regulations should be our first priority before we invest further in scaling and growing it. Although there will always be gaps to fill, we must begin implementing these rules and processes now to establish clear ethical practices that help us to develop stable and safe releases for the public.
3 | What obstacles hinder the establishment of ethics and regulations for artificial intelligence (AI)?
Anthony Tibbs — I think it’s proving to be very difficult for anyone trying to develop regulations for AI. The barriers we’re currently facing can be separated between general issues and Canada-specific issues.
Generally speaking, part of the problem we face is that we don’t know what’s next for AI or how it will be used in the future. Technology and AI are expanding so rapidly that there is no real way to anticipate what the next innovation will be. This barrier has made both governments and regulators aware that we cannot establish a set of policies that are going to cover every use of AI. This I believe is leading many to look at the problem from more of an ethical standpoint as it is easier to establish a general agreement on what kinds of outcomes we don’t want to see, such as harm being caused to human or animal life.
Specifically in Canada, the challenge is that the federal government is really limited in what they can actually regulate because commercial activities are largely provincially governed. Although some legislation is working its way through that is intended to provide some guidance, it is heavily focused on risk-based regulation that stipulates the outcomes that we wish to prohibit such as causing physical harm. This is a great accomplishment for businesses that operate interprovincially, but because of the constitutional limitations in what the federal government can regulate, it doesn’t really address businesses that solely operate in Alberta or Ontario for example. This then requires each province and industry regulator such as the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) or the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) to develop its own policies which further complicates the matter.
Fin Dittimi — There appear to be two significant barriers that are hindering the implementation of sound ethics and regulations surrounding AI.
Firstly, the sudden boom of AI in 2023 caught many off guard, as businesses had primarily focused on the metaverse and cryptocurrency in recent years. However, with the growing buzz around AI and the potential for advanced scaling opportunities, many companies are shifting their attention toward AI to attract investors. Consequently, businesses are prioritizing being the first to market and gaining a dominant market share, rather than slowing down the development process and considering the necessary safeguards for this technology.
Secondly, governments and regulators are faced with the challenge of catching up with the rapid growth of AI. Their focus has primarily been on safeguarding cryptocurrency and the metaverse, resulting in a need to shift attention toward understanding generative AI, its applications, and the boundaries that should be established.
Jaasiel Diaz — The primary obstacle hindering the establishment of ethics and regulations is the rapid innovation and release of AI. Consider ChatGPT for example. When it was first released you could ask it almost anything and it would supply an answer. Now following several updates and releases if you try the same question it will not respond. Although this is great to see, this change is happening at a slower rate than the advancement of AI technology. Ideally, we should be establishing these regulations before we release the technology to the public. Therefore, our primary barrier is our lack of desire to slow down innovation and focus more resources on developing it right before release.
A second barrier I foresee is getting a consensus on the regulations that need to be implemented. This may be particularly difficult at the global level with different countries and their varying political agendas.
4 | How can businesses ensure compliance with ethical considerations and regulatory obligations while implementing artificial intelligence (AI), considering the impact on both internal and external stakeholders?
Anthony Tibbs — I think all organizations need to start by being aware of the type of information their business is providing AI and consider the ramifications if that information was released to the public. If your evaluation raises several concerns regarding your business or that of your clients, AI implementation may not be the right path for you now. After evaluating the risks of implementing AI, businesses should work to define organizational regulations and offer their clients transparency on their usage of AI so they too can make an informed decision regarding their participation. Although this process is heavily focused on worst-case scenarios, businesses are wise to consider and prepare for unforeseen circumstances. By creating clear parameters and guidelines for employee use of AI, businesses can effectively protect confidential data while still reaping the benefits of the technology. It may also be beneficial to evaluate paid versus free AI models to assess the privacy and data encryption benefits that paid subscription models may offer. Nevertheless, I think the time is quickly coming for businesses to consider the policies, terms, and guidelines of AI use in their organization and I would strongly advise the implementation of these sooner than later.
Fin Dittimi — Businesses must proactively comply with existing data privacy laws while also considering the unique implications of AI. Establishing protective measures, such as anonymizing data and carefully managing internal information used to prompt AI systems, helps ensure compliance and protect both internal and external stakeholders.
Jaasiel Diaz — To protect the interests of external stakeholders, I think it is important for businesses to establish agreements with their customers that aim to protect customer data, including intellectual property (IP) and trade secrets, throughout the development or utilization of AI. As part of these agreements, I think it is important to establish well-defined boundaries that clearly outline the permissible interaction of information with AI and establish restrictions on certain types of data.
From an internal perspective, I believe the creation of AI policies and usage terms requires a coordinated top-down leadership strategy, enabling businesses to establish comprehensive guidelines that all departments can follow. Moreover, dedicating time to auditing AI technology and assessing potential risks in the event of an incident holds significant importance. Before further investment or implementation in AI, I think businesses ought to put these policies into action to maintain accountability among internal team members and prevent unnecessary disclosure of private information.
5 | What final thoughts do you have for our readers on artificial intelligence (AI)?
Anthony Tibbs — In a recent headline, GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke said, “Sooner than later, 80% of the code is going to be written by Copilot. And that doesn’t mean the developer is going to be replaced.” I think there is a lot of truth to be found in this statement. In the world of software development, there are often repetitive tasks that could likely be automated with AI if the tool learned to understand the overall structure of projects. Although this will be a huge time saver, it’s not going to replace people who are needed for inputting and evaluating information. This, however, could make it quite difficult for junior team members who ordinarily are assigned these tasks to learn and grow. Therefore, I believe there is likely to be a shift in the types of work people are doing, but I don’t think AI is going to replace humans anytime soon.
Fin Dittimi — While AI has gained mainstream attention, similar to the way cryptocurrency did a few years ago, it’s crucial to differentiate it from other technologies. By doing so, we limit businesses’ power to exploit customers by passing off other forms of technology as AI. It’s important to remember that AI is not a one-size-fits-all solution; it excels at learning and refining information. As such, it’s critical to assess whether AI is the right tool for your business needs and consider alternative technologies like plug-ins and APIs. As service providers, we need to invest time in having conversations about AI to help educate our customers which can lead to better implementation decisions and long-term success.
Jaasiel Diaz — My advice is to learn, use, and embrace artificial intelligence. Whether you are a business executive, software developer, industry professional, or simply a user, invest your time in learning and understanding AI. There are numerous benefits associated with this technology, irrespective of your industry or role. These include significant time and cost savings, business opportunities, enhanced educational growth, and much more.
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Artificial intelligence (AI) is a booming technological advancement that shows no signs of slowing. While the future of AI remains uncertain, one thing is clear: businesses must invest time now to evaluate its relevance within their industry and organization. Whether you’re a manufacturing company striving to streamline your operations or a clothing retailer aspiring to elevate your customer experiences, AI has immense potential to revolutionize your business when strategically implemented.
Want to know if artificial intelligence (AI) integration is the right move for your business? Get in touch with us today! Our team of experienced professionals is eager to work with you in evaluating your existing operational processes, devising an actionable implementation strategy, aiding in the development and integration of AI technology, and formulating a scalable plan to meet your future objectives.
Vertical Motion is a trusted Canadian software development and entrepreneur assistance company that has supported the global efforts of startups, non-profits, B2B, and B2C businesses since 2006. With headquarters in Calgary and Kelowna, and team members coast to coast, Vertical Motion is recognized as an award-winning leader in the technology industry. Our team of executive advisors, project managers, software developers, business analysts, marketing specialists, and graphic designers have extensive experience in several industries including — Energy, Finance, Blockchain, Real Estate, Health Care, Clean Technology, Clothing & Apparel, Sports & Recreation, Software as a Service (SaaS), and Augmented & Virtual Reality (AR/VR).
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Marketing | Communications | Sales Specialist at Vertical Motion